Neal Pionk, D, Minnesota-Duluth The right-shot defenseman is a 21-year-old sophomore. He's tied for 10th among NCAA defensemen with 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 34 games and is a plus-18. Starman said Pionk's best quality is his slap shot, which he said was reminiscent of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber. "He's a legitimate threat to score every time he's on the ice, that's how good his shot is," Starman said. "He's good in his own zone. But when you watch him, what stands out is how good his shot is, and he can score with it. He's got a Shea Weber quality to him with the shot. Just got a missile." One of the top defenseman on the NCAA’s 2nd seeded University of Minnesota Duluth team, Neal Pionk is going to have a busy phone line the day that the Bulldogs season ends. Pionk has made a name for himself in the very tough NCHC as a fleet-footed two-way defenseman. Though he’s not big, Pionk isn’t afraid to play an in-your-face physical game and uses his strong skating ability to recover well defensively. Where the sophomore has really shined this year, however, is on the offensive side of the ice. Pionk boasts an impressive slap shot and has made hay this season as the team’s power play quarterback. With 32 points in 38 games, Pionk finishes the year as the Bulldog’s third leading scorer and the seventh highest point scorer among NCAA defenseman. Pionk is one of the younger players on this list, at just 21 years old. He has put up seven goals and 28 points in 34 games for the Bulldogs. Pionk is an excellent offensive defenceman. He has an absolute rocket of a slapshot from the point. He is also able to play the role of powerplay quarterback, possessing good poise with the puck, excellent vision and good passing skill. Pionk also uses this passing skill to start the transition game. He might be a little bit undersized, but Pionk is also good defensively. He is very gritty, willing to battle in front of the net and in the corners. His two-way game is helped quite a bit by his skating, which is top notch. I'm a bit more optimistic after reading that. Never thought the Rangers want a top r-dman in return for Stepan as moron Brooks suggests. With Pionk and Zborovskiy in the wings, along with Graves and Day from the left side, defense is not an issue at all. The team needs to bring in a NHL ready or young proven big, centerman who can win draws along with a playoff type of powerforward winger capable of scoring dirty goals. This team is f'n soft. It's obvious. Also a number 1 for Stepan is a must. They need to give Clark more to find top talent in the draft.
Watching some of his interviews he seems like a dickhead in a good way. Kind of guys teams will really get pissed off playing against. Just a feeling but I think they might have hit on something with this kid.
Sounds like he has some Faulk-like similarities. I think he and Bereglazov will push for spots this fall. I can see Graves and Zborivsky getting one more year of minors seasoning.
Graves to me should easily make this team. Pionk is only 21 and he probably needs a year of the AHL. The other kid I don't know a lot about. Right now the team needs to deal Stepan. That is a must. They also need to have a talk with Staal. He can't be in uniform this season unless somehow Holden is dealt. The Rangers need to go young on defense. Graves needs to be getting top 4 minutes from day 1. So far all I've seen from Gorton is he doesn't have any balls to make deals. He also doesn't have any clue how to build an identity for our defense. Smith I don't see signing here because the Rangers simply don't have the cap room to sign him.
Actually the Rangers have plenty of cap room to sign Smith with the 5.8 mill we save from Klein's retirement and Girardi's buyout. Not saying we will resign him, but cap space should not be an issue with a deal that will be in the low to mid 4's per. And yes, as I wrote in the other thread, Gorton needs to wake up and deal Stepan for a fair solid return. There is value in not having his 6.5 mill cap hit locked in for the next 2 or 3 years with a NTC starting July 1. And then on top of that we should get a solid return based on what I have read. He needs to make it happen.
As usual, you don't have a clue what you are talking about because you do no research. Zibanejad and Fast are RFA's this year. Expect about 5 million for those 2. That leaves 6 million for next year. Next year Vesey, Miller, Hayes and Skjei are RFA's. If Skjei plays like last year his asking price will be at least 4 million. Miller is going to want 5+. Hayes probably will ask for 4. Vesey most likely 2.5. So that is about 15 million There. Grabner probably will ask for 3 if they want to keep him. Maybe more. So probably 18. Off the books will be coming about 10. The numbers don't add up. In case you didn't notice which I'm sure you didn't. In 2 years Zucc and McDonagh are up. You can forget McDonagh asking for less than 7. Zucc probably will ask for 6. No discount this time. Dumbass Gorton has to deal Stepan. There is no way he can remain on this team.
We have plenty of cap space to resign Smith. I am not getting into this with you. We have a little over 16 mill open now. Cap also went up 2 mill. Nash and his 7.8 mill come off after next season. There is zero doubt we have the cap space to resign Smith in the 4's and still have Stepan here. To be clear, I want Stepan gone so I agree with you 100%, but we can afford Smith with Stepan here still if Gorton doesn't do what he needs to do with Stepan. That is all there is to it. But yes...we agree it should be a moot point because Gorton needs to move Stepan...period.
The 4th round D from last year, Reunanen seems like he has some good upside but I don't know how he did this year.
Yeah. Clark liked him a lot. Said that he would have gone in the second or possibly the first round if he didn't get hurt.
